Image-Line News

Guru

Papam Studios created a shiny new animated Image-Line logo for use in our videos and it needed audio so we started a competition. There were over 200 entries that we reduced to three winners. Download the winning FL Studio projects and any other of the 200+ entries by following the links at the bottom of our News Post.

If you own FL Studio and plugins then step 1 & 2 apply to you. If you are using the demo then step 1 applies. After purchasing FL Studio all you need to do is download & install your regcode and you are away, nothing more to download.

A SINGLE 'FLRegkey.Reg' file contains ALL your activation codes for all the products you have purchased from Image-Line. You can install this Registry key on all the PCs you own or have a personal account on. We only ask that YOU are the only user.

Your 'MY ACCOUNT' page is created as part of the purchase process. After buying FL Studio and or Plugins we send you a link with a password to access your account.

That's it. When we bring out a new version of FL Studio all you need to do is follow the two steps above to get your Lifetime Free Updates.

The team here at Image-Line would like to congratulate Alex Medina for his track 'Background' from the Grammy nominated Lecrae Rehab album. We caught up with Alex to learn more about his work and how he uses FL Studio.

'Background' Co written with C-Lite and produced by Alex Medina for Lecrae's Rehab album

It's interesting to see how Background came about. Originally the song was for a collaborative album I was working on with C-Lite. I emailed him the idea I had for a song about playing the background and the understanding that the world does not revolve around me. In our culture fame, conceit, and self image is prevalent. So, I wanted to create a song that countered the fog and prescribed a sound perspective of life in light of it's Author.

I produced the song in FL Studio around the pads played in the introduction of a song I was listening to by Rojo entitled, "Tu Reinas" (0:03-0:16). I imported the song into the playlist and tapped the tempo of the song to align the down beats to the grid, making it easier to chop and slice. I wanted to follow the mellow feel of the pads and stay away from overbearing drums. I thought the drums should support what the pads were doing.

After I had a foundation to work with the idea and phrase "play the background" kept coming to mind, so I put pen to pad. I knew I wanted to hear singing on the hook so began to sketch out the idea for a singer (since I am not one). I recorded what I had in mind and also rapped a verse that fit the song. I knew C-Lite would be able to take my small idea to the next level and he did just that. This is original mp3 I received from C-Lite, I must have added 34 exclamation marks at the end of, "YOOOOOOO" in response to his email. I loved it.

At this time my friend, Lecrae, was working on his fourth studio album, Rehab. I was really working hard to get something on this album but to no avail. After taking a break from flooding his inbox with beats I decided to send him Background. He loved it, wrote his verses and the rest was history. I enlisted my good friend Joseph Prielozny to help me expand the song by reproducing the sampled pads, adding strings, piano, and creating a pre-chorus. Also, producer friend G-ROC added a synth sound for the hook. It amazing to see the response the song has received. I hope the song spreads like wild fire, so that many can hear the message that has gripped my heart. I am glad to see Rehab get nominated for the Grammy, its a huge accomplishment, but at the end of the day we just want to play the Background.

What were your first impressions of FL Studio and how did you come to use it?

I was first drawn to FL Studio's when a friend introduced me to it and taught me how to make hip hop beats. To this day I have used FL Studio..we are one :)

A friend told me its not about what hardware or software you use but how you use it. I have see that to be true in my situation. Over the years I began to grow with a desire to learn FL Studio and make music. FL Studio's simple layout and ability to create on the fly allows me to enjoy the process of making music. Loading virtual instruments is also a breeze. I can easily bounce files to WAVs when I am working with another producer or when its time to send out multi tracks. Soon, I will begin using FL Studio to do vocal tracking as well.

I will honestly share that for a number of years I used a crack version of FL Studio and had to switch that all around. Morally it was not honoring Jesus, the God I spoke about in my music and showed a lack of integrity. Also, it kept bringing viruses to my computer! I don't regret investing in FL Studio, it has served me well and it feels good to freely get updates and be apart of the on line community with a clear conscious and still bang out some great music.

Tell us about your production environment & toys?

I pretty much have a very simple setup. I run everything off of a Mac Pro with Snow Lepoard. I have Windows 7 installed via Boot Camp. I use a pair of M-Audio BX5a Studio monitors but 95% of the time I am using my AKG K240 headphones for production. I currently use FL Studio 9.7 (Signature Edition) as my main host and sequencer and anticipate the arrival of FL Studio 10! As for VSTs I own Komplete 7 by Native Instruments, Harlmess and Toxic Biohazard by Image Line, Firebird by Tone2, and Adventus by Softplug.

My audio interface is an Mbox 2 and as for a midi keyboard, I use the M-Audio Axiom 25. For a long time I was laying down song ideas on a Shure SM57... I know, I know lol. I just recently picked up a Mojave Audio MA-201 Fet condenser microphone. My most valuable assest, my wife! She lets me know whether a beat is hot or needs to get dumped in the trash.

Linear Phase EQ (LP EQ) is often used by mastering engineers and also in plugins that need to split the frequency spectrum into bands for processing (such as Multi-band compressors). The Guru shows us two LP EQ options for FL Studio:14-02-2012

The Studio-X Guide To Producing Electronic Music
Guide to electronic music production written by Lawrie Masson (aka Project 2), main producer of STUDIO-X. Step-by-step examples and various exercises for all areas of electronic music production, including synthesizing sounds, recording, mastering and marketing.
FORMAT: Paperback w/CD-ROM
ISBN: 9780646544236
SHIPPING FEBRUARY 04, 2011
PRE-ORDER YOUR COPY NOW:
http://www.officialstudiox.com/books.cfm28-01-2011

30 years ago Peter Vogal and company started what has become the computer-based music recording industry with the Fairlight CMI. Today celebrating that anniversary Peter is bringing back the Fairlight CMI-30A.17-01-2011

Image-Line Sound Design Contest - There were over 200 entries that we reduced to three winners. Download the winning FL Studio projects and any other of the 200+ entries by following the links at the bottom of our News Post.06-01-2011

Rode manufacture some great microphones. This video accompanies the Rode NT1-A Kit recording pack and in it Peter Freedman (company CEO and owner) shows how to knock up an effective and inexpensive vocal booth.15-10-2010